Source: Energy bill next week

In a high-stakes move, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) are planning to forge ahead with or without Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and introduce an energy bill next week, according to sources familiar with the planning.

In addition to the uncertainty about Graham’s status on the bill, Kerry and Lieberman are gambling that the dramatic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will help, rather than hurt, momentum for the legislation.

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That’s not a sure thing. As described in interviews, the reform package includes provisions that allow an expansion of offshore drilling and generous revenue sharing for coastal states that allow it. Graham told POLITICO those provisions were essential to his support.

Since the explosion at the BP rig began pumping millions of gallons of oil into the gulf, a host of Democratic and Republican senators have expressed skepticism if not outright opposition to the idea of expanding offshore test wells.

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) threatened to filibuster the legislation. "If offshore drilling off the coast of the continental United States is part of it, this legislation is not going anywhere,” he said.

According to sources familiar with the senators’ deliberations, Kerry and Lieberman have concluded that the crisis in the gulf – which is likely to get worse before it gets better – will focus the public’s attention on the nation’s dependency on oil and facilitate the debate about reforming the energy sector.

Since the actual language in the legislation has not been revealed publicly, advocates of the measure said Kerry and Lieberman may decide to change it in light of the gulf disaster.

For instance, the senators could insist that any future rigs include more safeguards against such a spill. They could also insert language that beefs up oil company liability in the case of such economic and environmental disasters.

In a speech at a green jobs conference on Wednesday, Kerry hinted at the decision to introduce the bill, saying “we will roll it out very, very soon.” He also said electric utilities and other businesses are expected to push for its passage.

The introduction of the legislation would be just the latest twist in the energy reform package’s troubled path to the Senate floor.